Mumbai: Fake BMC clean-up marshals rob man of Rs 11,000, arrested

Mumbai: Clean-up marshals of BMC are authorised to fine citizens for urinating, spitting, and littering in public places. However, two people posed as clean-up marshals and allegedly looted a man of Rs 11,000 in Ghatkopar and were later arrested with-in minutes.

Mohamed Shaikh, 22, an air-conditioner mechanic from Thane was rushing for his work, when he got stopped by two youth posing as BMC clean-up marshals in Ghatkopar.

“While walking near Hingwala market, he spit on a garbage pile. The two accused immediately stopped him, saying they are from the civic body,” said a police officer from Pant Nagar police station to Hindustan Times.

Sidharth Pasi, 26, and Krishna Chauhan, 22, told Shaikh that he would have to pay Rs 12,000 fine for spitting. “Pasi grabbed his hand while Chauhan forcefully removed his wallet. They took away Rs 11,000 from his wallet and threatened to beat him if he raised an alarm,” said the officer to Hindustan Times.

After the incident took place, Shaikh narrated the incident to cops who were passing by on a motor-cycle. The cops found the fake clean-up marshals at Tilak Road in Ghatkopar. The police arrested them immediately and recovered Rs 11,000 from them.

The duo also confessed that they had previously robbed a woman on March 16. A case has been then lodged at the Pant Nagar police station. The accused are residents of Ramabai Nagar in Ghatkopar. The police are investigating if more people have been robbed by them. The accused have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 392 (robbery) and 34 (common intention).